THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE WOLF.

The King of the Forest was once long and seriously ill, and his majesty's temper not being at all improved by the trial, the Fox, with his usual discretion, kept away from Court as much as he could. He slunk about, however, as near as he was able without being seen, and one day overheard the Wolf talking to the Lion about him. The Wolf and the Fox were never good friends, and the Wolf was now calling the Lion's attention to the fact that the Fox had not shown his face for a long time at Court.

"I have strong reasons for suspecting that he is busily engaged in hatching some treason or other," Isaid the Wolf.

The Lion thereupon commanded that the Fox should be brought at once to his presence; so the Jackal led him in.

"What do you mean by not paying us court? roared the Monarch.

"Pardon, your majesty," replied Reynard, bowing low. "I did not absent myself from want of respect to you, but out of concern for your welfare. I have gone far and wide," he continued, "and consulted the finest doctors as to the best means of curing your malady."

"Have you found a cure?" eagerly inquired the Lion.

"They tell me," answered the Fox with a leer at the Wolf, "that the only way to save your majesty's life, is to wrap yourself in the warm skin of a newly-slain Wolf."

The Lion, eager to try the remedy, at once dragged the Wolf to him and killed him on the spot. Evil is payable in evil.

THE MAN AND HIS IDOL.

A Poor Man, who longed to get rich, used to pray day and night for wealth, to an Idol which he had in his house. Notwithstanding all his prayers, instead of becoming richer, he got poorer. Out of all patience with his Idol, he one day took it by the legs, and dashed it to pieces upon the floor, when hundreds of gold pieces, which had been hidden in the body, flew about the room.

Overjoyed at the sight, he exclaimed, "How have I wasted my time in worshipping a god, who yields to force what he would not grant to prayers!" Ask favors only of those who can grant them.

THE FOX IN THE WELL.

An unlucky Fox having fallen into a Well, was able, by dint of great efforts, to keep his head barely above water. While he was there strug

gling, and sticking his claws into the side of the Well, a Wolf came by and looked in.

"What! my dear brother," said he, with affected concern, 66 can it really be you that I see down there? How cold you must feel! How long have you been in? How came you to fall in? I am so pained to see you. Do tell me all

about it!"

"The end of a rope would be of more use to me than all your pity," answered the Fox. "Just help me to set my foot once more on solid ground, and you shall have the whole story."

Say well is good, but do well is better.

THE SOLDIER AND HIS STEED. A Certain Soldier, in time of war, took great pains to keep his Horse well fed and cared-for, and in first-rate condition. When the war was over, the Soldier's pay was reduced, and he allowed his Horse, that had carried him nobly through many a hot engagement, to be used for dragging huge logs of timber, and for hire in many other rough and disagreeable ways. Being thus hardly fed and badly treated, the animal's strength and spirit fell away. It was not long before the war was renewed, and the Soldier, taking his Horse. again, tried, by good feeding and better treatment, to make him into a battle-steed once more.

There was not time for this, however; and the Horse, as his weak legs gave way under him in a charge, said to his master, "It is too late now to repair your neglect. You have degraded me from a Horse into an Ass. It is not my fault that I cannot at once turn back from an Ass to a Horse."

It is easier to go from good to bad than from
bad to good.

THE BEAR AND THE BEE-HIVES.

A Beak that had found his way into a garden where Bees were kept, began to turn over the Hives and devour the honey. He paid no attention to the first Bees which came to attack him; or to the threats from others. But finally the Bees settled in swarms about his head, and stung his eyes and nose so much, that, maddened with pain, he tore the skin from his head with his own claws. Despise not little things.

THE FOX AND THE WOLF.

A Wolf who lived in a cave, having laid in a good store of food, kept himself very close, and set to work to enjoy it. A Fox, who missed the

Wolf from his usual haunts, at last found out where he was, and, under pretence of asking after his health, came to the mouth of the cave and peeped in. He expected to be asked inside to dinner, but the Wolf gruffly said that he was far too ill to see anybody. So the Pox trotted off again, in anything but a charitable state of mind. Away he went to a Shepherd, and told the Man to get a good stick and come with him, and he would show him where to find a Wolf. The Shepherd came accordingly, and killed the Wolf.

The Fox took possession of the cave and its stores. But he did not long enjoy the fruits of his treachery, for the Man, passing by that way a few days after, looked into the cave, and seeing the Fox there, killed him too.

He who brings mischief invites mischief.

THE SHEPHERD TURNED MERCHANT.

A Shepherd, that kept his Sheep at no great distance from the sea, one day drove them close to the shore, and sat down on a rock to enjoy the cool breeze. It was a beautiful summer day, and the ocean lay before him, calm, smooth, and of an enchanting blue. As he watched the white sails, and listened to the measured plash of the tiny